The Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks 128-120 on Thursday to win their first-round playoff series 4-2, setting up an Eastern Conference semifinal against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics broke open a tight game in the closing minutes with an 11-0 run, including three consecutive three-pointers from Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 32 points, while Jayson Tatum added 30. Al Horford contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds against his former team. Marcus Smart also played a key role, scoring 22 points and orchestrating the offence down the stretch.
Trae Young finished with 30 points and 10 assists for Atlanta, but struggled in the second half, missing 12 of 13 shots. Dejounte Murray returned from a one-game suspension but managed only 14 points on inefficient shooting.
The second-seeded Celtics will now face the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, who have been resting since sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in four games. The series is expected to begin early next week.
